PLANNING TO MOVE FROM KENTUCKY TO ARIZONA...need help (Phoenix: to rent, car registration)

[adele b]

i am currently in ky and cannot wait to move to arizona. i love the dry air and the non-humidity and non-rainy days. i am still in ky bc im waiting on a settlement to go thru and then i am rid of this godforsaken state.
problem is... what do i need to be prepared to do when i move. i know im gonna have a problem bc of the economy and finding a job so here is my plan. im looking at prob moving into a house w 3-4roommates and get a room in the house. then def get a job-- i hate not working. way i see it, i am gonna do whatever i can so that i never have to go back to ky.
do i have to get a vehicle emissions test? i kno i"ll need a drivers license. i just have no idea where to start and once i get there what all i need to do.
any help will be greatly appreciated. i just want to get all the info in order. it will b about 6-9mos from now when i start getting stuff together. feel free to email me.

[momtogrif]

First question: where in AZ are you planning on relocating to? This is a VERY big state with varying economic and environmental climates. As for emissions, you can keep the plates on your car for a few months but, yes, emissions testing is required as part of a vehicle's registration.

[coatimundi]

Emissions tests are only required if your vehicle is registered in Pima, Maricopa or parts of Pinal County, and if it is five years old or older.

ADEQ: Air Quality Division: Vehicle Emissions: What Vehicles Need to be Tested?

Every place has its upsides and downsides. I think a lot of people visit here and think "Oh, this is just paradise." For some it is, for some it isn't, but you don't really know if you'll like it until you actually live here. I haven't spent a lot of time in Kentucky though. We are in the process of moving to Southern Indiana though, and I can tell you that I was shocked how much the price of my car insurance dropped when I changed my address. The property crime throughout Arizona is typically pretty bad, with car theft a major problem, so that's likely the reason behind that. Car registrations are also taxed as a luxury in Arizona, so they'll likely be much higher than what you're used to. I paid about $45 in Texas for registration, then paid $100 for the same car when I came out here. When I bought my new truck, that went up to about $220 for a year.

I do enjoy that Arizona has relatively (compared to the South, definitely) lax alcohol laws. You can buy any sort of alcohol at supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. 6am - 2am 7 days per week.
I also really enjoy the mix of cultures that you find here. You'll find a lot of ranting on "Mexicans" this and "illegals" that, but I think the majority of people here really appreciate the high Latino population for what it's given to the state in terms of culture. Not just food either. It's made the state a very unique place.
That said, I think Arizona tends to require a bit more open-mindedness than states back east. We're Western but we're also West Coast, getting a lot of California influence. People are very laid back and don't really concern themselves with the lifestyles and actions of others, and a lot of people take that as being un-neighborly. People are nice but not overly nice. The religious domination that you find in the South and parts of the Midwest is also a lot less here. There is a significant Mormon domination in parts of Phoenix metro (Mesa) and Eastern Arizona and, of course, there's a huge Catholic population. But overall it's not as omnipotent or omnipresent as in other parts of the country.
I've found that a lot of people who grew up here leave right after high school, usually for larger cities, saying how boring Tucson is or how hot and intolerable Phoenix is, but the majority tend to return in just a few years. It may be the same experience with Kentucky.

Hope that helps.

[adele b]

i figured id have to get a emissions test. i have a 98 daytona grand prix so its pretty old. thanks for all the info about the testing on the car.
i have no job yet but will be looking soon when i get my treatment almost done w my dr since my car accident.
i am mainly moving from this crappy ky state bc i cannot stand the weather anymore...its either too cold or too hot and there is wayyy too much humidity. i used to go out to az every summer when i was in school to see my grandparents but now they moved to nj. i just think that humidity is gross and sticky and i hate living in the small town. no jobs and every1s in ur business and i hate that.
basically i went out there to az about 2yrs ago for a 2week vacation and it was sooo relaxing and i loved the atmosphere. i said about 4yrs ago was was gonna move to az as my dream. i held off on it bc i worked for a job and they fired me in nov2010 so i figure now is a good time to make something of my life.

[adele b]

is there anything i should know??? just some pointers. like what to watch out for, bad places in az, things to do....

just anything helpful that is different from other states or things u hate or think mite help me.

thanks.

[observer53]

Your questions are just too broad. Of course it's different than a lot of other states in many ways, including Kentucky, but it's impossible to know which differences would matter to you and which would not. In terms of "what to watch out for", or "bad places"??????? Too broad, too many variables to even know what you are asking.

You hate humidity, you hate small towns. So, are you thinking metro Phoenix or Tucson, or do you want something smaller? Do you want desert, or up in the mountains ? What kind of work would you be looking for? What places in Arizona did you visit in the past?? Two weeks what time of year? A two week vacation is not much to base a move all the way across the country on.

There's a lot of information here in the forums already. Read, read, read, and then see what other questions you have.

[Zonie5]

Originally Posted by momtogrif

First question: where in AZ are you planning on relocating to? This is a VERY big state with varying economic and environmental climates. As for emissions, you can keep the plates on your car for a few months but, yes, emissions testing is required as part of a vehicle's registration.

emission tests are NOT REQUIRED in Northern Az. if you stay under the radar of law enforcement you can get by without getting Az plates . though it is a good idea to get Az plates ASAP .

[IndianGoldEagle]

Originally Posted by adele b

is there anything i should know??? just some pointers. like what to watch out for, bad places in az, things to do....

just anything helpful that is different from other states or things u hate or think mite help me.

thanks.

Sierra Vista has milder weather and doesn't have the amount of crime you will find in Phoenix or Tucson. Tucson is becoming a very violent place.
No smog check for vehicles in Cochise County. Taxes are also a bit lower than the larger counties. If you have a valid current drivers license from your state, you won't have to take a test to get an Arizona license.
Finding jobs is tough throughout Arizona right now.

[Low Roller]

Originally Posted by adele b

i am currently in ky and cannot wait to move to arizona. i love the dry air and the non-humidity and non-rainy days. i am still in ky bc im waiting on a settlement to go thru and then i am rid of this godforsaken state.
problem is... what do i need to be prepared to do when i move. i know im gonna have a problem bc of the economy and finding a job so here is my plan. im looking at prob moving into a house w 3-4roommates and get a room in the house. then def get a job-- i hate not working. way i see it, i am gonna do whatever i can so that i never have to go back to ky.
do i have to get a vehicle emissions test? i kno i"ll need a drivers license. i just have no idea where to start and once i get there what all i need to do.
any help will be greatly appreciated. i just want to get all the info in order. it will b about 6-9mos from now when i start getting stuff together. feel free to email me.

Hi,

Am not reading all of the replies, so this may include some info already covered:

If you move to a major city like Phoenix or Tucson (sea level,) be prepared for Hellacious heat for about 5-6 months of the year. That is the worst thing about AZ. Some people like heat, but I've found most suffer under it - even when it's a relatively dry heat. So know that you're coming to a state where much of it has 100-120 degree heat for months at a time.

In the higher altitudes (Prescott, Pinetop-Lakeside, Flagstaff, Kingman, etc.) it is cooler - but still in the 90's to 100 range in July and August.

As with most everywhere else, decent jobs do not come easily here. I'm sorry, but that's just part of "Change we can believe in." I believe it's going to be awhile before decent jobs are plentiful again. If you know anyone here, or can possibly secure a job before you come, I would highly recommend that.

You do not need an emissions test outside of the big city areas. In rural areas it is not necessary.

I do hope this helps you somewhat, and I wish you very good luck.

[MotleyCrew]

Be careful looking for a room to rent with roomates from Craigslist. You may find yourself in precarious situations with some pretty weird roomies. My son is employeed right now but is trying to find a better job while he finishes school, but is hitting some brick walls. There just isnt much out there for unskilled people. My daughter, who is a graduate student, is getting more interviews so dare we hope that things are breaking loose a little?